VFL: Port Melbourne star Isaac Conway dedicates season to his late mother

PORT Melbourne star Isaac Conway is dedicating his 2018 VFL season to his late mother, Christine.

ISAAC “Izzy’’ Conway says he thinks of his mother, Christine, before every match, quietly reflecting on her life and devotion to her family.

He misses her desperately. And it’s to her that he is dedicating his 2018 season for Port Melbourne.

“I just want her to be proud of what I do,’’ Conway, 23, said.

Christine Conway was 53 when she died of brain cancer in Brisbane just over 12 months ago.

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In December, 2016, Isaac had gone in for surgery to clean up his left hip. That very day Christine received confirmation that cancer she had battled three years earlier had returned.

“My draft year, 2013, mum got diagnosed with breast cancer,’’ Conway said.

“She fought it off. That day in December she went to get a scan on her brain. She wasn’t feeling too great. Then she was diagnosed with brain cancer. Not great news for any of us. She fought the good fight. Eventually she lost the battle…’’

With his mother’s illness and his recovery from the hip surgery, it was understandable that Port Melbourne saw nothing like the best of Conway last year.

Queensland’s Under 18 captain in 2013, he made the Brisbane Lions’ rookie list in 2014, lasting only one season.

Isaac Conway as a Brisbane Lion.

Wanting to advertise his ability to Melbourne clubs, he joined his mate Dylan Reid at Werribee in 2015. Conway had a fine time of it, coming third in the Bees’ best and fairest and gaining selection in the VFL team of the year.

His 2016 was less impressive. Slowed by injuries, at one stage he found himself squeezed into the Development League by an influx of North Melbourne players.

Port came calling — and the prospect of playing for a stand-alone team was enticing. He signed. But first he had to get his hip right. The operation cost him a pre-season.

“I was behind the eight-ball right away,’’ he said.

His mother’s illness gave far more grief. He missed her badly and travelled back to Brisbane as often as he could, grateful for the support of Port Melbourne and his employer (Conway is an electrician).

“As much as I could, I wanted to be by her side, every step of the way,’’ he said.

He came to see that football was important to him, but it was not life or death.

Conway ended up playing more games in the Development League than the seniors, and watched on as Port defeated Richmond in a grand final quickly hailed a classic.

Two months later he was throwing himself into the pre-season, determined to do well and help the Borough cover the retirement of decorated senior players Toby Pinwill, Chris Cain, Sam Dwyer and Hugh Sandilands.

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Supporters wondered how Port would replace their captain Pinwill. You’ll never replace him, coach Gary Ayres said.

But, just as Ayres had hoped, a fitter and more settled Conway has assumed some of Pinwill’s grunt work, winning the ball with strength and dispensing it with skill.

He’s had a superb season, receiving eight mentions in the best players from his 10 games. The right-footer is leading the Borough in tackles, clearances and hard-ball gets; he is also probably leading the best and fairest.

“I’m happy with how it’s going so far,’’ he said.

“That love of the game has come back. That happens when you win games, like Port Melbourne’s been doing.’’

Although he’s from Brisbane, Conway said he was aware of Port’s reputation as a successful and historic club, and it was a “dream’’ to wear the jumper.

“I really mean that. It’s an honour to play for the Borough,’’ he said.

“If I don’t get another crack (at the AFL), I can see myself having a lot more years there.’’

Former Port Melbourne champion Toby Pinwill is a big fan of “Izzy’’ Conway.

Pinwill is a Conway fan, calling him “almost as strong as anyone I’ve played with’’ and noting he was “almost impossible to bring down’’.

He said people often underestimated his “composure in close and his sideways movement’’.

“He had a tough year last year — injury and personal — so it’s great to see him playing so well,’’ he said.

“When we recruited him we knew he’d be a great player for the club. He’s a really, really good club person and teammate. Last year he was always positive and upbeat around the group, even in the face of adversity.’’

Port Melbourne coach Gary Ayres “couldn’t be happier’’ with Isaac Conway’s season.

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“We knew Toby Pinwill would be finishing at some point and we had to have a succession plan to in place, so we targeted Isaac. We knew what he was up against last year — it was an extremely testing situation for him and his family — and I said to him, ‘Don’t worry about us back here, this is about you’. I remember his second game out at Coburg. It was a very emotional day. We have a lot of respect for him, and we thought he’d be terrific for us this year with the solid foundation of a pre-season behind him. He’s strong, a contested beast, uses the ball well to bring other players into the game, and he’s been able to go forward and have a spell and find a way to kick a goal. Couldn’t be happier with his contribution so far.’’